Weight of the World

Public health outlets in both the U.S. and Ireland are trying to tackle the poor health of their respective populations.
The United States Department of Agriculture released new guidelines last week that hope to make people more informed about healthy choices.
As people are starting to realize that there is no magic pill, the facts are becoming more vital. Dieticians say there is no way around it: eating according to the energy you expend is the best diet, and exercise should have a more prominent place in the already packed American schedule.
While food and nutrition go hand in hand, not enough people strike a healthy balance. Eating habits are habits for a reason, and some ask if it is a question of too little, too late?
Dr. Julie O’Sullivan-Maillet, a professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, doesn’t think so, but agrees we have gotten into a rut.
“If you look at the industrial world, you see significantly less physical work activity, so we burn fewer calories, plus the access to food is at an all-time high both in terms of cheapness of food and readily accessible prepared foods.”
Prosperous countries began realizing the challenge that lay ahead at the turn of the century. While starvation plagues much of the third world, many in developed countries are using cars more often, eating processed packaged foods, and forgoing vegetables in favor of fast food and sugars to fill up.
This results in people who are fatter, less fit, and unhealthier than they should be, and the numbers are staggering. The Center or Disease Control estimated in 2000 that two-thirds of Americans were overweight or obese, along with 15 percent of children. More frightening was the total cost, $117 billion, of obesity-related health problems.
Ireland, once thought to be immune from such problems, is taking notice of its own population. During a speech last year, Health Minister Mary Harney said that one in eight Irish people are obese.
Terry Reynolds, who is with Ireland’s Department of Health and Children, said that Ireland’s obesity task force “has been meeting for months” and expects to bring recommendations to Harney soon.
Reynolds said he feels that the recommendations will make a difference for the Irish public.
“There is a greater emphasis now on lifestyle issues and healthy eating,” he said.
It is an issue that resonates with the public. According to a survey conducted last year by Lansdowne Market Research, 69 percent of people feel that Ireland has a serious problem with obesity, and 32 percent report that they are concerned about becoming obese.
“Targeting obesity is one of our priorities,” Reynolds said.

The pyramid problem
One of the main culprits of the now-archaic American guidelines was the “food pyramid.” One of the most easily recognizable symbols of modern times, the pyramid used to appear on the back of most cereal boxes or bread packages.
That’s because at the base of that pyramid was a suggestion for eating no fewer than six servings of breads, cereals and grains a day.
These foods were hailed as low in fat, but the problem was that they were dense in calories and usually packed little redeeming nutrition value.
There was no distinction made between things such as white bread, which has little in the way of nutrition, and nutritional whole-grain foods, such as bran flakes.
Another problem with the pyramid was that it only mentioned “servings,” which left many people confused about the amount of food in a serving. The Irish pyramid gives examples of how a serving should look and is easier to interpret.
Not everyone knew how much an ounce of cheese looked like, or how much cereal was in a cup.
“The difficulty with interpreting the current pyramid is that portion sizes are not clear and not emphasized,” O’Sullivan-Maillet said. “The new guidelines do a much better job discussing calorie control and physical activity.”
In terms of what foods comprise the pyramids, both Ireland and the U.S. have similar types. It is just a matter of getting people to follow it. Research shows that while 80 percent of Americans recognize the food pyramid, only 4 percent actually follow it.
While it does not look like the new American guidelines will change the levels (bread, fruits and vegetables, dairy and protein) of the food pyramid, there has been much discussion of the Mediterranean diet, which is more specific, and calls for sparing use of meats, eggs and sweets but plenty of beans, fruits and olive oil.
With the new plan, the American government and its expert advisers face the task of telling people how to eat right, in what amounts, and then persuading them to do it.

Exercise: a novel approach
We are in the midst of the January jump — that period after the New Year when new gym memberships swell and the floor is filled with eager first-timers. Unfortunately, many will have abandoned their fitness programs by March.
Governments are trying in earnest to persuade people to stick to the exercise resolution as much as possible. Health insurance reimburses people who attend regularly, rationalizing that staying healthy will keep medical bills lower for all involved.
Ireland knows the importance of getting people moving as well, and the government has launched numerous initiatives, notably for younger people, to set an example for the rest of their lives.
“It’s know that there has been less physical activity, and that is happening all over the world,” Reynolds said.
One thing the U.S. has learned in coming up with the new guidelines was that the government was not pushing physical exercise enough.
Taking a page from Ireland’s strategy, the U.S. now recommends people to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity “most days of the week.”
But this is not enough to manage body weight. To do so requires 60 minutes a day. In order to lose weight, one should work out 90 minutes a day.
Ireland’s National Task Force on Obesity calls for the same guidelines on exercise, though some members have said the 30-minute threshold is inadequate.
Dr. O’Donnell O’Gorman, a lecturer at Dublin City University, said, “We have accepted 30 minutes of physical activity as a one-size-fits-all solution to health.

Learning from the other
Just recently, the U.S. and Ireland have launched a partnership to research diabetes, and more can be learned from similar joint ventures.
Similar research, portion sizes and labeling and are just some of the ways one can learn from the other.
Food labels in the U.S. are now required to disclose the amount of “trans-fats,” which are considered highly unhealthy. With “whole grain” now a buzzword, it is the hope of the government that Americans start to watch their intake more closely.
Ireland labels foods that are suitable for vegetarians, and television commercials for candy and fast foods are banned. Similarly, wrappers have to carry warnings that fast food should be eaten in moderation, and foods with high sugar contents can cause tooth decay.
Considering all the research and task forces looking into getting people healthier, the best thing would be to share findings form global resourced. Why are the Italians heart-healthy? Why do Asians have low rates of cancer? Hopefully, research will spur findings that all people can take advantage of.
“It is a global trend,” O’Sullivan-Maillet said. “That’s why the focus should be on the larger issues. We have to learn to balance energy in with energy out, plus get the nutrients we need.”